Electric coupling for cars



. H. F. WOERNLEY ELEQTRIG GOUPLING FOR CARS ruled July ,6, 1919 ssheets-sheer 1 9 r/lll/11111111111111111111 H. F. WOERNLEY ELECTRICcouPLINe FOR CARS Fneq ,July 5, 1919 5 sheets-sheet .2

H. F. WOERNLEY ELECTRIC COUPLING FOR CARS July 15 1924; 1,501,157

Filed July 5, `1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 15, i924,

HARRY F. WOEBNLEY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA,` ASSIGNOR TO THE WEST-INGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMERDJNG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION0F PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC COUPLING FOR CARS.

Application i'led July 5,

To all whum it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY F. WOERNLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inElectric Couplings for Cars, of which improvement the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to apparatus for coupling electric circuitsbetween the cars of a train, and more particularly in couplings of thischaracter having a movable member provided with a plurality of electriccontacts connected to the respective circuits,

and adapted to be projected forward to engage the contacts of acounterpart coupler on the adjoining car.

In order to compensate for slight variations in dimensions fand otherinaccuracies of manufacture in couplers of this type, it is desirablethat the electric contacts of the counterpart couplers should beyieldinglj,7 held together with a certain pressure when in the coupledposition, and one of the features of my present invention is to provideimproved means for this purpose. Another feature comprises an improvedform of connection between the contacts mounted on the carrier and therespective train line circuits, whereby any one may be independentlydisconnected, if desired. Another feature comprises improved means forautomatically operating the shutter or cover for protecting the electriccontacts.

This invention is alsor in the nature of an improvement on that of myprior application Serial No. 243,497, filed July 5, 1918.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a horizontal section of theimproved electric coupling taken substantially in the plane of theoperating lever andv piston the contact carrier being omitted for thesake of clearness; Fig. 2, a central longitudinal section; Fig. 3, ahorizontal section showing the parts in coupled position; Fig. 4, atransverse section; Fig. 5, a side elevation, partly inv section andshowing the cover orA shutter is the partially Open posities;

1919. Serial No. 308,844.

Fig. 6, a diagrammatic sectional view illustrating the connections ofthe fluid passages.

As set forth in my prior application above referred to, the improvedelectric coupler is designed to be attached to the car coupler, whichmay be of the well known rigid lock type having a body, 4, with ahook-shaped projection, 5, adapted to interlock with the correspondingprojection of a counterpart coupler and be rigidly clamped thereto bythe pivoted locking lever, 6, actuated by spring, 9, and releasingpiston, 7, in cylinder, 8, as indicated in Fig. 6. The electriccoupling, which is preferably suspended beneath the car coupler,comprises a casing, 10, in which is slidably mounted the contactcarrier, 11, having a plurality of butt contacts, l2, adapted to engagethe contacts of a counterpart coupling on the adjoining car when thecars are coupled together and the carriers are projected forward totheir coupled position.

The contact carrier 11, comprises a frame containing a block ofVinsulating material, in which the electric contacts, 12, are mounted,these being arranged in pairs, with the contacts of each pair locatedupon opposite sides of the centre line, and connected together, and tothe respective car line circuits.l vln this way each circuit'is dividedinto two branches at the coupling, with the contacts at opposite sidesof the centre, in order to make the proper electrical connections ateither end of the car, it being understood, however, that those circuitshaving contacts located on the centre line require only a singlecontact., As shown in the drawings, there are three horizontal rows ofcont-acts, l2, extending through the block of insulating material, therear ends of each, or oneof each pair, beingy connected to therespective train line Wires, 13, which extend out through an opening inthe rear ofthe casing.

According to one of the features of my improvement, the tra-in linewires,`13, are enclosed in a sleeve er tuba 3Q; which is Preti 1 of thelatter,.is removed, and at this-point each wire comprises an independentflexible portion having a detachable plug connection,

31, with the respective contacts, 12',- on the" Contact carrier. By thismeans any one of the circuits may be indepeideii'tly' oliisconnectedWhenever desired. Thisconstrulction Salse'geweint-lay @Ver *ppn-eenen,fb referred' to, butl is` not claimed' thei-`e1n1l .Aceordingto anotherfeature of my pi es"` entinveition, thereis provided paintimpr'ovedmeavnsfor projecting"theeontact carrier for! Ward Vtohenga'g'e7 thecontactsl of counterpart coupler With dire-et abutting action, and tohold said contactsipressed together Witha certain pressure vvlien in thecoupled. position, and this' comprisesa lever, l8,c'onv nected by aylinl`,'1f9', to'zthe contact carrier, 11,l and'` also connected'l to alpiston, 16, mounted in the cylinder, 1I. -The actuating lever, 1S, ispivotedlat `end upon afulcrum block, 26, carried a rodhl, sli'd'ablysupported yin -an abutment, 20'," on tlieside of they casing, thefrodvhavii'ig anadjustable nut, and a ca'rryin j a" sping`,28, between theabutmenta'nd saidA nut.'v l The nut is avdj usted to impart a certainamount of initial compression tol the spring,l 28, and normally hold theful'eru'm block, 26', against the abutment, 20. l o Y In order holdtheContact carrier in its forward coupledy position', they lever 1,8., is

. provided with a .pivotedv spring"A latch,v or

locking lever, 2l, having a notch adapted to engage a `pin, Q2-, inythe,coupled position. For releasing said'vlocliing levervivheii it isdesired to Withdraw Ithe, contact/,carmen there is a small piston, y23,mountedinin cylinder, 11,k and having astem, 25', engaging said latch,21. vAL spring,,27,opposes the foruiardrnovement of the lever land:actsy to' return the same andthe Contact carrier i'vhe" llesilis APassage 01". conduit, 35, @6.111% munieates with the cylinder oftheactuating piston. 1,6, and also leas mi esta @para ii'ivg,` 3G, at theyfa tlie'ico'upler for communication with the` Corresponding passage inthe counteiipL rt coupled] whereby vbot'li pistons ,may be operatedfroiij either car. Anotlrery Lassage lconduit', 417,: communi- CatesWiti the chamber of the feleasi'ngy piston, 29% and with the opening,18,\at the faee of thev coupling. branch' or conduit, .f9`,,l'eacls"froI i the pass'ge, 47, t'o the' unlocliiiig cylinder, 8, of' the carcoupler, all ./S shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6. A valve, L16, may beemployed for cutting off the supply of fluid from conduit, 47, to theconduit, 49, when for any reason it is desired to release the contactcarriers Without unlocking the car couplers. y

Forthe purpose of protecting the exposed ends of the contacts, 12, fromdirt, dust, and moisture, there is a vertically swinging shutter orcover, 37, adapted to close the open front end of the casing, whenthecarrier is Withdrawn, said shutter having side arms, 38',- pivoted at39, to the casing. A spring, 40, operates upon the shutter to normallyholdY the sameL closed, as indicated in Fig. 2. For opening the shutter,there is atappet,

' 14C, adapted to., be depressedby engagement rvitlrthe counterpartcoupler, and having a puro]ection",` AIl, for operating an arm',

connecteidtlo a crank,\43,"o'n` one of the pivots" operating portions orsurfaces', lll, and 45',

whereby when the shutter vhas' been partially opened by the movemeiit ofthe tappet, 1'l,`it` may then be ino'vedt'o a full open posi'- tion bythe action of the' carrier in' being projected5 forward toits coupledposition,` as indicated in F ig. 5.

"Whenthe ends of the twocars are brought together inl the ac t ofvcoupling, the car couplers' engage' each other and are coupled intheusualV Way by means of the locking levers, ,6, and' springs, 9, as willbe readily understood. At the' same time, the tappets,

lil', engage the opposite'v couplers, beingvdepressed thereby, and actthrough the arms',

dovvnvard to4 the partially open position, sho'ivn in Fig. 5. Fluidunder pressure, suchv as compressed air,l is then admitted to thepassage or conduit, 35, from which it passes to cylinders, 17, of bothcouplers and forces out theV pistons, 1,6', and' levers, 18, which turn'on' fulcr'ui'ns, 26', and projects the Contact carrier, 1:1', forwarduntil the contacts, 12, engage each other-` During this movement, theshutters',I 37, are' engaged by tlierca'r'riers and moved tothe fullopen position, as before described. The dimensions of the moving partsare so arranged' thatthe contacts, 12, are 4adapted to meet a'nd butttogether before the a'ctr'iating pistons and levers have vmade their Yfull travel. The further movement of the piston then operates to shiftthe fulcrui'n of lever, 1S.y `from pi'vohw, to the pivot on' link, 19.of the carri`eran`d' to' turn' the lever about this latter pivot,thereby drawing the-block', 26, ei'ivziy from the abutment, 20, andicompressthe spring, 28'," as' shivn in Fig. 3. is the piston completesits travel, the latch, 21,

4Q, and cranks', 18', to swing the shutters llO engages the locking pin,22, and holds the contact carrier in its forward coupled position withthe springs, 27, and 2S, compressed. By means of this construction, thelast part of the forward movement serves to transfer t-he pressure ofthe spring, 28, to the contact carrier, and it then continues to act topress the contacts, l2, together withI a substantially constant anduniform pressure as long as the couplers remain in the coupled position.The fluid may then be released from cylinder, 17, and passage, 35, asthe latch, 2l holds the parts in the coupled position.

When it is desired to uncouple, fluid under pressure is admitted to thepassage or conduit, 47, from which it flows into chamber, 24, on eachcoupler, and actuates the piston, 23, to trip the latch lever, 21,whereupon the release spring, 27, returns the carrier and other movingparts to the unco-upled position shown in Figs. l and 2. Fluid alsoiiows through conduit 49, to the unlocking cylinder, 8, of the carcoupler on each car, thereby actuating the pistons, 7, to release thecoupler locks, o, and allow the cars to be pullel apart. As the couplersseparate, the spring, 40, returns the shutter, 37, to its closedposition, and the tappet, 14, is again extended as shown in Fig. 2. Anysuitable or well lmown form of valve means operated either manually orautomatically may be employed for controlling the supply of fluid to thepassages or conduits, 35, and 47.

It will now be seen that the supplemental springs, 28, the pressure ofwhich is transferred to the Contact carriers during the last part of theforward movement of the pistons after the contacts are brought intoengagement with each other, will, operate to hold said contacts togetherwith a substantially constant and uniform pressure regardless of slightvariations due to wear or inaccurate construction, thereby preservinggood electric contact and also holding the gaskets, 50, of the carriersclosely together to exclude dirt and moisture when the parts are coupledtogether,

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination with a movablecarrier having a plurality of electric butt cont-acts connected torespective circuits, of a lever, means for operatively connecting saidlever to said carrier, a movable fulcrum member connected to said lever,a spring acting on and compressible by the movement of said fulcrummember, and means for actuating said lever to project said carrierforward to engage the contacts of a counterpartcontact carrier with saidfulcrum member as a ralorum cooperating with the means connecting thelever with the contact carrier for actuating said lever and fulcrummember to compress said spring.

2. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination with a movablecarrier having a plurality of electric but-t contacts connected torespective circuits, of a lever, means for operatively connecting saidlever to said carrier, a movable member connected to said lever, aspring compressible by the movement of said member, and means foractuating said lever to project said carrier forward to engage thecontacts of a counterpart Contact carrier, the contact carrier thenacting as a fulcrum for said lever in cooperation with the meansconnecting said lever with said contact carrier upon a further movementof the lever by said lever actuating means to cause the lever to operatesaid movable member and thereby compress said spring.

3. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a movablecarrier having a plurality of electric butt contacts connected to therespective circuits, a piston and connections actuated by uid pressurefor projecting said carrier forward to engage the contacts of acounterpart coupler on the adjoining car, a spring, and means operatedby the forward movement of the piston to compress said spring andtransmit its pressure to said carrier to hold the contracts together.

4. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a movablecarrier having a plurality of butt contacts connected to the respectivecircuits, a lever connected to said carrier, a piston' for actuating thelever to project said carrier forward to engage the contacts of acounterpart coupler on the adjoining car, a lock for holding the carrierin its projected position, a spring acting on said lever and meansoperated by the movement of the piston after the contacts are broughttogether for transmitting` the prfssure of said spring to said carrier.

5. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a movablecarrier having a plurality of butt contacts connected to the respectivecircuits, a lever pivotally connected to said carrier, a piston foractuating the lever to project said carrier forward to engage thecontacts of a counterpart coupler on the adjoining car, a fulcrum forthe lever, and a spring for holding the fulcrum of the lever during theforward movement to bring the contacts together, and. means forpermitting the piston to make a further forward movement to turn saidlever upon the carrier as a fulcrum.

6. In an electric coupling, the combination of a casing open at itsfront end, a contact carrier movably @minted therein and havingv itplurality ofelectric contacts, means for projecting said carrier'through the open end of the casing for making electrical connectionlwith the corresponding Circuits of another coupler, a cover adapted to`swing vertically over the liront end of the casing for protecting thecontacts, means operated by the coming together of the couplers in theact of coupling for swinging said cover downward, 10

seid carrier having a portion adapted to engage :1 corresponding portionof the cover in the partially open position ,and coact therewith to movethe cover to its full open position.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand. Y

HARRY F. VVOERNLEY.

